A celebration of culture, family, and what it means to grow up in America.

Growing Up, My Dad Taught Me I Didn't Have To Fit The Cultural Expectations Of Indian Women

"Tomorrow, we will hear Krishna explain why going to war, even if it meant killing cousins and relatives, was the right thing," my father said as he closed the Mahabharata, one of the two great Sanskrit epics of India. One of my most cherished…

Sherry Cola On How She Went From Laying Low In Her Younger Years To Flying High Today

In this personal essay for Bustle's All American: Growing Up series, Sherry Cola, star of Freeform's Good Trouble, shares how her dad influenced her growing up, when she learned to come out of her shell, and what her American dream is. When I was…

'Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.' Taught Me It Was OK To Question My Religion

One of the first things I learned about Judy Blume was that she is Jewish. In Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Margaret’s parents aren’t both Jewish. But Judy’s were. My parents told me. When I was 12, I was supposed to be preparing for my bat…

My American Girl Story Is Yours, Too

In this personal essay for Bustle's All American: Growing Up series, Logan Browning, star of Dear White People and The Perfection, shares the impact her American Girl doll had on her at a young age. Most people meet their best friends in school. I…

Napheesa Collier Tells Us What She Learned From Growing Up Tall

In this as-told-to for Bustle's All American: Growing Up series, WNBA star and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier tells Bustle Lifestyle Writer Jay Polish about growing up the tallest girl in school, the pains and perks of growing into her…

Having An All-White Friend Group During Puberty Had Lasting Effects On Me

My mom says that the day I told her I wanted blonde hair, her heart broke. I was around seven or eight years old. But it was true; before I even hit my deserved years of teen angst, I had daydreams of running my fingers through stick-straight,…